Clutch mechanisms have long been used for alternatively coupling and decoupling a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In many cases the clutch mechanism includes friction plates, alternate ones of which are coupled to the drive shaft and to the driven shaft and which are axially compressed between reaction plates to engage the clutch. A conventional construction typically includes one or more thrust bearings associated with the reaction plates and through which a compressive force is applied to the reaction plates to engage the clutch. Consequently, the thrust bearings are part of the load path when the clutch is engaged and are subject to the same loading as the friction plates. This loading accelerates the rate of bearing failure and commensurately reduces the reliability of the clutch construction.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.